Wine Advisor
Henri Bonneau, Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve des Celestins 2011
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Joe Czerwinski
The 2011 Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve des Celestins (still in barrel) is rich, deep and concentrated. It's also noticeably fresher tasting than the Cuvee Marie Beurrier from the same vintage, with ample cherry fruit and a touch of chocolate on the long, silky finish.
Reviewed by: Jeb Dunnuck
Looking at what should be the 2011 Châteauneuf du Pape Reserve des Celestins, it has noticeably more depth and richness than the Marie Beurrier, with fabulous aromatics, medium to full-bodied richness and sweet tannin. It should be relatively short-lived by this estates standards, yet its about as Provençal as you can get. It will certainly have 10-15 years of longevity.
Reviewed by: Jeb Dunnuck
Like the Marie Beurrier, the 2011 Châteauneuf du Pape Reserve des Celestins shows the sunny warmth of the vintage with its killer perfume of sweet red and black fruits, pepper, smoked herbs and Provençal garrigue. Medium to full-bodied, sexy and with ripe tannin, it's not a blockbuster, but is about as Provençal as it gets. It will drink nicely right from the get-go and I suspect not shut down.
Reviewed by: Jeb Dunnuck
The 2011 Châteauneuf du Pape Reserve Célestins is a head turner that’s showing just as beautifully as last year. Full-bodied, sweetly fruited, layered and sexy on the palate, with good concentration, it’s almost overflowing with notions of Provençal garrigue, saddle leather, peppery herbs and sweet fruit. It’s a terrific 2011 to drink anytime over the coming 15 years or so.
Reviewed by: Josh Raynolds
Bright ruby-red. Far more expressive than the Marie Beurrier, displaying a wild array of candied red fruits, flowers and Asian spices, along with an intense mineral overtone. Silky, sweet and pure on the palate, offering intense raspberry preserve and spicecake flavors and a jolt of lavender pastille. Closes long and sweet, with building spiciness and smooth, harmonious tannins that sneak up late.
Reviewed by: Josh Raynolds
Deep ruby. Potent aromas of cassis, blueberry, fruitcake, violet and smoky minerals. Impressively deep, seamless and broad, offering black and blue fruit flavors accented by espresso, cola, star anise and cracked pepper. For all its power and richness this wild wine comes across as almost feminine, showing impressive lift and focus thanks to bright, juicy acidity. The deep, sappy blackcurrant and blueberry flavors come back strong on the long, spicy finish.
About the Producer
Domaine Henri Bonneau's reputation is as legendary as its owner, Henri Bonneau. Its rustic home in the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation in the Rhone Valley is situated at the end of a village, its cellars overflowing with large and small aged oak barrels and its stone walls covered in potholes. Dirty cellars, old mouldy barrels, all these conditions are a winemaker's nightmare. But it was here that the Chateauneuf-du-Pape Reserve des Celestins was made, which has been praised by wine drinkers all over the world; it was here that Bonneau brewed his philosophy of a happy nature into the aromas of his wine; it was here that Bonneau brewed the treasures from the La Crau plateau. It is here that Bonneau has turned the treasures of La Crau into an exceptional wine. Henri Bonneau himself determines each speciality, which is graded according to its quality: Henri Bonneau, Marie Beurrier, Reserve des Celestins and Cuvee Speciale, which may be just one of the four or all four. But no matter how they are blended, the winemaking is the same. What also makes Château Henri Bonnot unique is the ageing of the barrels, which come from the Burgundy region and date back to the 17th century. A visit to Henri's cellars is therefore like walking into a museum. The wines produced here are usually aged for more than six years before being bottled unfiltered after Bonnot himself has tasted them. The result is a wine with a powerful bouquet, balanced flavours and a long finish, particularly in the case of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape Célestins Reserve red wine, of which around 1,500 cases are produced each year. The best vintages of Château Henri Bonnot have the distinctive taste of concentrated bovine blood, powerfully combined with a thick and viscous texture. The best recent vintages are the 2003, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1995, 1990, 1989, 1988, 1986, 1985 and 1981.
